Getty Dana White
UFC president Dana White recently hinted at a potential heavyweight clash that could take place this summer between former promotional champions Stipe Miocic and Jon Jones.
The UFC’s annual International Fight Week is set to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from June 27 through July 3. The event will be centered around UFC 276, which is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena.
International Fight Week usually boasts a stacked card filled to the brim with exciting match-ups and notable names. And this year will be no exception, White told TMZ Sports in a recent interview.
“Listen, people have been talking about how awesome this card is, and I was just telling somebody the other day our lineup for this summer is incredible,” White said.
One fighter who White wants to see compete this summer, and possibly during International Fight Week, is Jones. “Bones” hasn’t fought in over two years, but has said on several occasions that he plans on making his heavyweight debut this year.
“I’m hoping that Jon Jones is gonna be a part of that lineup this summer,” White said.
And the UFC president appears to be looking at Miocic as Bones’ first test north of light heavyweight. “Yeah, Stipe makes sense,” White told the outlet.
Jones vs. Miocic Could Be for the Interim Heavyweight Belt</2>
Heavyweight king Francis Ngannou will be sidelined for the foreseeable future with a knee injury, paving the way for another opportunity for the UFC to crown an interim champion. Last month, the UFC president told ESPN that if “The Predator” is out for the remainder of 2022, he could see a situation where Bones fights for an interim belt.
“I haven’t thought about it at all, but yeah, it sounds like something we would do,” White said via MMA Junkie.
“Not until we know what Francis is gonna do or what’s gonna happen, but if that’s the case, if he ends up sitting out for a year, Jon could come right in and fight for a title,” White continued.
Miocic receiving a shot at interim gold makes sense as well. The American is widely viewed as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time, and although he was knocked out by Ngannou in his last fight, Miocic is still rated at the top of the elite.
Miocic Has Made It Clear He Wants to Win His Belt Back
Miocic’s main priority is hoisting undisputed gold inside the Octagon again. In an interview with Submission Radio last year, Miocic said he’s up for a scrap with Jones to help get him there, even though Jones’ temperature has fluctuated with fighting Miocic.
“It is what it is,” Miocic said via MMA Junkie. “I mean, listen, I’m not a matchmaker. I’m not worried about what he thinks or says. I just need to get my rematch and get my belt back, my ‘punch-drunk’ a**.
“Of course. He’s one of the pound-for-pound best fighters ever, of all time. I mean, he’s done so well. It’d be great, but I’m not gonna worry about what he wants to do or how much he wants to get paid, and I’m only here for one goal, and that’s to get my belt back.”.